Headed up with Going Down

Journalist, model, teacher, poet ― Campanioni has all of these roles on his resumé, and recently added fiction writer to the mix.

His debut novel Going Down is garnering rave reviews, and was named as a “must-read” book by the New York Post in October.

Born in Manhattan to a Cuban father and Polish mother, Campanioni works still as a model, but said he considers himself a writer first.

“I’ve always had a love for language,” remarked Campanioni. “I use all of my different experiences to infuse my writing.”

Campanioni completed his master’s degree at Fordham University this year, and currently teaches a fiction writing course at the City University of New York (CUNY).

Going Down, based on Campanioni’s own experiences in the fashion industry, tells the story of Chris Selden ― a young man feeling somewhat adrift after college, who becomes a journalist at night and a fashion model during the day.

“The fashion and newspaper worlds seem very different on the surface, but those two industries deal with fabrication in some degree,” said Campanioni. As the book’s main character begins to understand those two worlds, he starts to lose his sense of self.

“I tried to explore the concept of media representation and the self-fragmentation that occurs because of it,” explained Campanioni.

Going Down is written in English, with a fair amount of Spanish dialogue mixed in.

Inspired by his Cuban heritage, Campanioni said his intention was to comment on the fashion world from a Latino perspective, since there is a perceived lack of Latino culture in the industry.

“I was hoping to create a universal coming of age story,” said Campanioni, who wrote Going Down as a semi-autobiographical tale.

After graduating from college, Campanioni acquired a day job as a model and actor, appearing in ads for Dentyne, Axe body spray and Tommy Hilfiger. At night, he worked as a sports copy editor and writer for The Star-Ledger in New Jersey.

“With Going Down, the main character finds himself through his writing,” said Campanioni.

“I’d like to think that comes across as organic in the book,” he added. “Because for me, personally, the journey of self-realization was motivated by a desire to write about it.”

Going Down is written in English with Spanish dialogue mixed in.

Though it might not be commonplace for professional journalists to stride a catwalk or model underwear as part of their day, for Campanioni it all made sense, as he always felt he would document his career experiences in a story somehow.

“I think they went hand-in-hand for me, the novel and doing these other things,” he remarked. “But if I wrote a straight memoir, it wouldn’t be as interesting a story.”

In preparing his novel, which took six years to complete, Campanioni’s life experiences gave him a unique perspective.

Rather than writing about fashion or journalism as an outsider looking in, he could draw from a rich array of personal stories.

The inquisitiveness and attention to detail he needed as a reporter has fueled Campanioni’s fiction writing.

“As a journalist, you’re an observer,” he noted. “I wouldn’t be a fiction writer if I wasn’t a journalist first.”

And while models are often viewed as one-dimensional, Campanioni would look to turn that notion on its ear with his thriving literary career and current role as college instructor.

He also received the 2013 Academy of American Poets Prize for his soon-to-be-released work, In Conversation.

Campanioni said he accomplishes much of his writing on his laptop while commuting on the subway.

“I got a lot done on the 4 train heading to the Bronx to go to Fordham,”he quipped.

The author is flattered about the accolades his book has attracted, especially praise for his use of different literary styles.

“I think I really underestimated the level of attention that readers would pay to it,” he remarked. “People are saying I blend pop culture with avant-garde, and I take that as a huge compliment.”

Chris Campanioni’s first novel, Going Down, is available now from Aignos Publishing.

Campanioni will hold a book signing on December 5 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Word Up Books, located at 2113 Amsterdam Avenue. For more details, please visit http://wordupbooks.wordpress.com/.